Country music legend Dolly Parton has been laid to rest in a private ceremony in Nashville, Tennessee, following her death last week at the age of 80.
Members of Parton’s immediate family gathered at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum on Friday morning, where she was buried beside her husband, Carl Dean, who died in March 2025 after nearly 60 years of marriage. The mausoleum already carried her name alongside her husband’s, with a depiction of her Tennessee home.
Parton’s great-niece, Lainey Parton, paid tribute to the singer after the funeral, describing her as a source of encouragement who made her feel “like I was enough”. She recalled being invited to sing with Parton and said the music icon not only encouraged her to pursue her dreams but also helped her achieve them.
Parton died peacefully after a brief battle with cancer at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, surrounded by loved ones, according to a statement from her family. Her family has asked fans to honour her memory through social media tributes and requested donations to her Imagination Library programme in place of flowers.
